The new, easy-to-use site-- http://beautifulcode.oreillynet.com --gives the
public the opportunity to discuss the book's projects and to contribute
information about other projects that illustrate coding artistry. The site
is designed to build community among new and experienced innovative programmers
and designers who are inventing and creating elegant coding solutions now
and in the future.

"We hope the book and website work together to promote novel and constructive
attitudes toward the design and creation of computer programs," explained
Andy Oram, co-editor of Beautiful Code. "We also hope programmers and
designers worldwide will come and see what developers are saying about
'Beautiful Code,' and add their own insights."

In the popular new book, 38 legendary software engineers discuss their
coding breakthroughs and masterpieces in a series of thought-provoking
essays. The authors illuminate the creativity involved in coding, explain
the tradeoffs made in application construction, and reveal when it's
appropriate to break the rules. The writers' intent is to rouse and inspire
a new generation of coders by sharing their secrets for creating elegantly
crafted software.

The lead programmer for the Beautiful Code website is Michael Feathers,
a popular author and expert in Agile Programming who contributed the chapter
"Framework for Integrated Test: Beauty through Fragility."

In a recent post, Feathers writes: "When I was a younger programmer,
I felt guilty about being a neat-freak. It was a selective obsession.
There I was, sitting in my office with stacks of papers and books covering
every available space, but I was oblivious to it. As long as my code looked
great, I could shut out the chaos around me: the towering stacks of dead
tree that could've toppled and crushed me if I had sneezed."

Feathers continues, "I don't know why I felt bad about being that way,
but in retrospect, I think that I felt that I was wasting time caring about
neatness in code. It took me a couple of years to figure out that the
ergonomics of code matter, and that the time you spend decluttering your code
can declutter your thoughts as well."

For coders looking to join an ongoing conversation about their craft,
the Beautiful Code website provides a welcoming forum to discuss the
real-world challenges they face on the path to proficiency and beauty.
Get involved today by visiting, http://beautifulcode.oreillynet.com.

About O'Reilly

O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.